Sewing-machine



'F. ASHWORTH.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, I919.

, 1 383 447. Patented July 5, 1921.

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SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED ASHWORTH 0F BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Application filed May 23,

T 0 all It'll-07H it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED ASHWORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to presser foot actuating mechanism for use in look stitch outsole shoe sewing machines which employ a curved hook needle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved presser foot actuating mechanism for this type of shoe sewing machine.

The features of the present invention comprise certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The several features of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a right side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine embodying the features in their preferred form; Fig. 2 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 with the presser foot shown in raised position; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, partly in elevation, taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a left side elevation of a portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in an outsole shoe sewing machine of the type disclosed in applicants Patent No. 1,169,909 dated February 1, 1916, to which reference may be had for a full and complete description of the parts of the machine not fully described herein. This machine is provided with the usual stationary work support 2 secured to the frame of the machine and the usual presser foot 4. During the greater part of a cycle of operations of the machine the presser foot is held firmly locked against the work so that the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1921.

1919. Serial No. 299,222.

work is tightly clamped between the presser foot and the work support. During the feedlng of the work, however, the presser foot is raised from the work so as to offer no resistance to the feeding operation or, if desired, parts of the mechanism may be adjusted by the operator to cause the presser foot to lightly and yieldingly engage the work durmg the feeding operation. At the end ofthe feeding operation, the presser foot is released and pressed yieldingly against the work so that it has an opportunity to accommodate itself to the thickness of the stock. In the illustrated machine, after thus engaging the work, a predetermined increased yielding pressure is applied to the presser foot to cause it to firmly clamp the stock. The presser foot is then locked in position and remains locked until the beginning of the feeding operation when it is again lifted or caused to lightly engage the work and the cycle of operations is repeated. I

To enable the presser foot to be actuated in this manner, it is secured to the forward end of an arm 6 of a three arm lever 8. The lever 8 is fulcrumed on a pin 10 carried by a sliding block 12 secured to the upper end of a control bar or rod 14 which is capable of longitudinal movement in an aperture in the frame of the machine. The lower end of the control rod 14 is pivotally connected to the forward end of a lever 16 pivoted on a stud 18 secured to the frame of the machine. The lever 16 is actuated in a direction to move the control rod downwardly by means of a torsion spring 19 having one end secured to the rear arm of the lever 16. The control rod is adapted to be locked in position by means of a locking device 20 comprising a nut 21 threaded thereon, which nut extends into a slot 22 in the frame and is held from lengthwise movement by the engagement of the ends thereof with the upper and lower walls of the slot. The threads on the control rod and nut are sufficiently steep to permit free movement of the rod through the nut when the nut is free to rotate. The nut is held from rotation at the desired times to lock the control rod in position by the engagement of a cam surface 24 on a block 26 with the nut. The block 26 is carried by a slide 28 so that upon movement of the slide forwardly the control rod is locked and upon movement of the slide in lever 38 is provided with a roll which engages a cam roove in a disk carried by one of the driving shafts 40 of the machine. At the end of the feeding operation, the locking device 20 releases the control rod '14 whereupon the torsion spring 19, acting through the lever 16 and the control rod, moves the presser foot down into engagement with the work which also brings the roll 32 into engagement with the forward end of the cam surface on the lower wall of the slot 34 in the arm 36. The arm 36 is then swung forwardly, which through said cam surface and the roll 32 increases the tension of the torsion spring 19 a predetermined amount and thereby increases the pressure of the presser foot on the work so that the presser foot firmly clamps the work upon the work support. The looking device 20 is then actuated to lock the control rod and consequently the. presser foot in position. At the start of the feeding operation the arm 36 is swung rearwardly whereupon the resser foot is held li htly in engagement w1th the work during the feeding operation by a coiled spring 42 having one end connected with the arm 30 of the presser foot lever which moves the roll 32 to the upper part of the forward end of the slot 34. At the end of the feeding operation, the locking device 20 again releases the control rod and the cycle of operations is repeated.

Means are provided whereby the presser foot instead of being caused to lightly engage the work during the feeding operation, may be raised any desired distance above the work at this time. This means comprises a link 44 having one end pivoted at 46 on the lower end of the arm 36 above the slot 34 and having its other end pivotally connected to the lower end of a rod 48, the upper end of which rod extends through a lug 50 on the arm 36. The rod 48 is urged downwardly by a stiff sprin 52 coiled about the rod and interposed etween the lug 50 and a shoulder on the lower end of the rod, and said downward movement of the rod is limited by the enga ement of a nut and washer 54 threaded on the upper end of the rod with the lug 50. By manipulating the nut 54, the link 44 may be adjusted from the position shown in Fig. 1 above the slot 34 to a position such as shown in Fig. 2 covering a portion of the forward end of the slot 34. When the link 44 is thus positioned, the rearward movement of the arm 36 at the start of the work feeding operation causes the underside of the link 44 to cotiperate with the roll 32 on the presser foot lever to raise the presser foot a distance corresponding to the adjusted position of the link 44.

To enable the presser foot to control the thread measuring devices of the machine in accordance with the thickness of the work, a link 55 connects the rear end of the lever 16 with suitable members of said devices.

The means for'locking and unlocking the locking device 20 comprises a link 56 having one end pivotally connected to the rear end of the slide 28 and its other end pivotally:connected to the lower end of an arm 58 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed on a transverse shaft or rod 60. This bell crank lever is actuated to move the slide 28 forwardly to render the locking device active by means of a spring 62 which is coiled about a vertical rod 64 and is interposed between a nut 66 on the upper end of the rod and the upper end of a sleeve 68 through which the rod extends. The sleeve 68 is threaded through an aperture in an arm 70. of the bell crank lever. The rod 64 is made rigid with the frame of the machine by having its lower end secured to or formed integral with a bracket 74 secured to the frame. The forward end of a lever 76 is loosely mounted on the shaft 60 and its rear end is provided with an aperture through which the rod 64 extends, said rear end being interposed between the lower end of the sleeve 68 and a block 78 mounted on the lower end of the rod. The bell crank lever 5870 is rocked in a,direction to release the locking device 20 at the proper time in the cycle of operations of the machine by means of a cam actuated lever 80 fulcrumed on the shaft 60. The arm 82 of this lever is provided with a laterally projecting lug 84 adjacent the under side of the rear end of the lever 76. When the arm 82 is swung upwardly, 110 the lug 84 causes the lever 76 to engage the lower end of the sleeve 68 and thereby rock the bell crank lever 58-70 against the action of the coiled spring 62, which-releases the locking device 20. The cam actuated 115 lever 80 is swung at the proper time in the opposite direction to permit the spring 62 to rock the lever 58-7O in a direction to lock the locking device 20.

In the illustrated machine, means are pro- 120 vided by which the presser foot can be unlocked and raised either by the operator or automatically as the machine stops. When the machine starts into operation, it is (le sirable that the presser foot be forced firmly 125 against the work during the first stitch forming cycle, and in order to secure this result with certainty and absolutely prevent the locking device 20 of the presser foot mechanism from acting before the presser 180 comprises a toggle 86 which is straightened to release the locking device against the force of the operating spring 62 when the machine stops and which is actuated from the cam shaft of the machine during the first cycle of operations to allow the spring 62 to cause the presser foot to be locked. The lower arm of the toggle 86 is pivoted at 88 on the frame of the machine and the free end of the upper arm of the toggle is provided with a slot 90 which is engaged by a stud 92 projecting laterally from the block 78, which block is mounted to slide on the rod 64. By straightening the toggle 86, the block 78 is moved upwardly which, through the rear end of the lever 76 and the sleeve 68, rocks the bell crank lever 5870 in a direction to unlock the locking device 20. The toggle is held straightened to maintain the locking device unlocked by the engagement of a shoulder 93 on the lower end of the upper arm of the toggle with a shoulder 94 on the upper end of the lower arm of the toggle. The toggle is adapted to be straightened by means of a lever 96 secured to a shaft 98 pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine. When the lever 96 is rocked in a direction to move its lower arm forwardly, an inclined surface 100 formed on the lower end of said arm cooperates with a roll 102 mounted on the upper arm of the toggle to straighten the toggle. Such actuation of the lever 96 also through connecting mechanism, raises the presser foot from the work immediately after the locking device 20 is unlocked. This connecting mechanism comprises a rod 103 having its rear end piv otally connected to the upper end of the lever 96 and its forward end extending loosely through an aperture in the upper end of an arm 104 of the presser foot lever. A collar 106 is secured vto the forward end of the rod in front of the arm 104. When the lever 96 is swung in-a direction to release the locking device 20, the rod 103 is moved rear- Wardly which through the collar 106 and arm 104 wings the presser foot lever on the roll 32 as a pivot in a direction to raise the presser foot; a suflicient lost motion being provided between the collar 106 and arm .104 so that the collar does not act on the arm until the presser foot is released. The lever 96 is capable of being thus actuated to straighten the toggle and raise the presser foot either manually or automatically. To provide for such manual operation of the lever 96, a knob 108 is secured to the forward end of the rod 103. To actuate the lever 96 automatically, an arm 110 is secured to the pivotal shaft 98. The arm 110 is provided with an adjustable abutment screw 112 adapted to be engaged by a pin 114 which forms the pivotal connection between a link 116 and the upper end of an arm 118 of a bell crank lever 118-120. The link 116 connects the bell crank lever with the upper end of an arm 122 projecting upwardly from a sleeve 124 pivotally mounted upon a shaft or.rod 126 which is substantially in alinement with the shaft '60. The

lower end of a cam actuated lever 128 is pivotally mounted on the sleeve 124, the axis of its pivot being at right angles to the axis of the sleeve. The lever 128 is swung on its pivot into the path of a cam 130 carried by the driving shaft 40 at a predetermined point in the final cycle of operations of mechanism which may be and preferably is the same as illustrated and described in PatentNo. 1,169,909 hereinbefore referred to. The continued rotation of the cam 130 to stopping position swings the upper end of the lever 128 rearwardly, which through the connecting mechanism, rocks the lever 96 in a direction to straighten the toggle and raise the presser foot as previously described. Upon starting the machine, the lever 128 is swung out of the path of the cam 130 by mechanism illustrated and described in said patent which allows the lever 96 to be returned to its normal position by means of a spring 132 connected to the upper end thereof, whereupon the torsion spring 19 acts to force the presser foot firmly against the work. After the presser foot thus engages the work and at a predetermined point in the first stitch forming cycle of operations, the cam actuated lever 80 is rocked in a direction to cause a downwardly projecting lug 134 formed on the free end of the arm 82 of the lever 80 to cooperate with the roll 102 to break the toggle 86 which permits the spring 62 to lock the locking device and thereby lock the presser foot in engagement with the work.

The arm 120 of the bell crank lever 118-120 may be connected to the thread tensioning devices of the machine by the mechanism illustrated and described in said Patent No. 1,169,909 so that when the presserfoot is raised upon stopping the machine to permit the removal of the work, the thread tension devices are released.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated and a machine embodying the several features of the invention in their preferred form having been specifically described, what is claimed 1s:-

1. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising a longitudinally movable bar, a

presser foot lever pivoted on one end of the bar, means for actuating the bar to cause the presser foot to engage the work yieldingly, and means for locking the bar to maintain the presser foot 1n engagement with the work.

2. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising a presser foot lever, a longitudinally movable bar on which the presser foot lever is pivoted, means for moving said bar to cause the presser foot to engage the work, and means for rocking the presser foot lever about its pivot to relieve the pressure of the presser foot on the work.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising a presser foot lever, a longitudinally movable bar on which the presser foot lever is pivoted, means for actuating said bar'to cause the presser foot to engage the work, and a cam actuated lever for rocking the presser foot lever about its pivot to relieve the pressure of the presser foot on the work.

4. A sewing machine having, incombination, a work support, a presser foot, and mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable bar, and a presser foot lever pivoted on one end of the bar, for first causing the presser foot to engage the work yieldingly and then to increase the pressure thereof on the work.

5. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, a

presser foot lever, yielding means for mov-' ing the presser foot against the work, means for locking the presser foot against the influence of said yielding means, an actuating lever, a member associated with one of said levers provided with a cam surface, a member associated with the other lever for engagement with the cam surface, and means for moving the actuating lever in one direction while the presser foot is unlocked to increase the pressure of the presser foot on the work and for moving the actuating lever in the opposite direction while the presser foot is locked.

6. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, a presser foot lever, yieldingmeans for moving the presser foot against the work, means for locking the presser foot against the influence of saidyielding means, an actuating lever and connections between said lever and the presser foot lever, means for moving the actuating lever in one direction while the presser foot is unlocked to increase the pressure of the presser foot on the work and for moving the actuating lever in the oppo site direction while the presser foot is locked, and means for adjusting said connections to cause the presser foot to remain on the work or be lifted from the work.

7. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presserxfoot, yielding means for forcing the presser foot against the work, means for locking the presser foot against the influence of said yielding means, an actuatin lever and connections including a roll an cam slot between the presser foot and the actuating-lever, means for moving the actuating lever while the presser foot is unlocked to increase the pressure of the presser foot on the work and for moving the actuating lever while the presser foot is locked to.raise the presser foot from the work, and means for adjusting the roll and cam slot connection to render the actuating lever ineffective to raise the presser foot from the work.

8. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising a longitudinally movable bar, a presser foot lever pivoted on the bar, a spring acting on the'bar to cause the presser foot to enga e the work yieldingly, means for locking the bar, an actuating lever and connections between the actuating lever and the presser foot lever, and means for moving the actuating lever in one direction while the bar is unlocked to increase the pressure of the spring and for moving the actuating lever in the opposite direction while the bar is locked to relieve the pressure of the presser foot on the work.

9. A sewing machine having, in combination, a. work support, a presser foot, and mechanism. for actuating the presser foot comprising a presser foot lever, a longitudinally movable bar upon which the presser foot lever is pivdted, a spring actuated. lever having one end pivotally connected with the longitudinally movable bar for causing the presser foot to yieldingly engage the work, and means for locking and releasing the bar.

10. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising a spring for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, a device for maintaining the spring ineffective during a portion of the first cycle of operations of the machine, and positively actuated means for releasing said device at a predetermined point in the first cycle of operations of the machine.

11. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for moving the presser foot into work, engaging position, a locking device for locking the presser foot in work engaging position, and mechanism comprising a driving shaft for rendering the locking device active to lock the presser foot in work engaging position at a predetermined point in the first cycle of operations of the machine.

12. A sewing machine havmg, 1n combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for moving the presser foot into work engaging position, a locking device for locking the presser foot in work engaglng position, and mechanism com risinga cam actuated lever for rendering t e locking device active to lock the presser foot in work engaging position at a predetermined point in the first cycle of operations of the machine.

13. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuatlng mechanism comprising means for engaging the presser foot with the work, means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, manually operable means for moving the presser foot out of engagement with the work when desired, and devices held in look releasing position independently of the presser foot dlsengaging means for releasing the locking means for the presser foot.

14. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for engaglng the presser foot with the work, means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, means for moving the presser foot out of engagement with the work upon stopping the machine, a main driving shaft, devices operated by said disengaging means to release the locking means for the presser foot, and additional means operated by said driving shaft for operating said devices to reengage said locking means.

15. A sewing machine having, 1n combmation, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for engaging the presser foot with the work, means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, means for moving the presser foot out of engagement with the work upon stopping the machine, and devices operated by said disengaging means and held in look releasing position independently thereof for releasing the locking means for the presser foot.

16. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for engaging the presser foot with the work, means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, means for moving the presser foot out of engagement with the work upon stopping the'machine, devices operated by said disengaging means to release the locking means for the presser foot, and independent means for opcrating said devices to rengage said looking means.

17 A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising a spring for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, .an actuating lever for releasing the presser foot against the action of the spring, a toggle for maintaining the presser foot released, and c0- operating members on the toggle and actuating lever for actuating the toggle to permit the spring to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work.

18. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuatin mechanism comprising a spring for locklng the presser foot in engagement with the work, a toggle for controlling the action of the spring, and means for actuating the toggle to release the presser foot against the action of the spring and for cotiperating with members of the presser foot actuating mechanism to disengage the presser foot from the work.

19. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising a toggle, means for breaking and straightening the toggle, and means connecting the toggle with the presser foot whereby the breaking of the toggle acts to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work and the straightening of the toggle acts to release the presser foot from engagement with the work.

20. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, a manually operable member, and means actuated by the manually operable member for releasing said locking means and for maintaining said locking means released independently of the manually operable member.

21. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising a spring for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, means comprising a manually operable lever for releasing the presser foot, means for maintaining the presser foot released after the release of the manually operable lever, and a cam actuated means for releasing said means for maintaining the presser foot released to permit said spring to effect the locking of the presser foot in engagement with the work.

22. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, a toggle, means capable of being actuated by the toggle for releasing said locking means, and means actuated upon the stoppage of the machme for thus actuating the toggle.

23. A sewing machine havlng, 1n combination, a work support, a resser foot, and resser foot actuating mechamsm comprising means for locking the presser foot 1n engagement with the work, a toggle, means capable of being actuated by the toggle to release said lockin means, means actuated upon stoppage o the machine for thus actuating the toggle, and addit onal means for actuating the toggle to permit sald locking means to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work.

24:. A sewing machine having, in combination, a work support, a presser foot, and presser foot actuating mechanism comprising means for locking the presser foot in engagement with the work, an actuating lever, and means actuated by said lever for releasing said locking means and for maintaining said locking means released independently of said lever.

FRED ASHWORTH. 

